Changeable feature doll head



nited States ?atent ()fiice 2,720,053 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 CHANGEABLE FEATURE DOLL HEAD Philip Knott, New York, N. Y.

Application February 10, 1953, Serial No. 336,119

12 Claims. (Cl. 46135) This invention relates to toys in general and particularly to animated toys wherein is employed a head-andface-representing member within which is movable another member provided with various means for effecting changes of facial expressions in the first-mentioned member.

Toys of the above character are not new in the art, but in most instances they are more or less complicated and relatively costly in construction and are rather limited in their scope.

The present invention contemplates a substantial improvement in that type of animated toys, especially as to structural simplification and operation, in that no mechanical means are employed to render them effectively operable by everybody, even by children.

One of the prime objects of the present invention is the provision of an inexpensive animated toy consisting of two simple cooperating, relatively movable members, and wherein one of the members is adapted to be manually rotated, while the other member is held against rotation.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of an animated toy wherein is employed a pair of telescoping, relatively movable members, one constituting the outer and the other the inner member, and wherein these members are rotatable relative to one another, and wherein the outer member is provided with at least three apertures disposed over one portion of its outer surface, and wherein the inner member is provided with spaced peripheral designs adapted to be observed through the apertures of the outer member, and wherein the designs applied to the inner member are adapted to effect anima tion of the outer member.

A still more specific object of this invention is the provision of an animated toy comprising a pair oftelescop: ing, substantially cylindrical members manually rotatable in respect to one another, and wherein the outer member is formed to represent a head and face or the like, the latter being provided with eye and mouth openings, and wherein diagonally opposite said face openings is an additional opening, which may be considered a rear opening, and wherein the inner member is provided with means for facilitating its rotation by hand, and wherein at the outer surface of the inner member are arranged continuous peripheral and axially spaced designs rendered visible through the eye and mouth openings, and wherein the designs are so disposed as to causea change of expression of the face representation when the inner member is revolved within the outer member, and wherein at a lower peripheral portion of the inner member there is provided intelligence visible through that rear opening of the outer member.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an animated toy as stated above, and wherein the eyebrow, lip and nose areas of the face representation are made of pliable, resilient material, and from which material there extends into the interior of the outer member relatively rigid projections, forming integral parts of that material, and wherein the inner member is provided with guide means for accommodating and moving these projections so that when the inner member is rotated the guide means operatively engages the projections, thus causing them to continually change their position relative the outer member, which positional changes of the projections impart movement to the pliable material representing the eyebrows, nose and lips, thereby effecting changes in the expression of the face representation.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and additional advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming an essential part of this disclosure, but which drawings are primarily intended to facilitate the understanding of the structure and operation of the present device without restricting the scope of this invention to the actual showing, and wherein:

Fig. 1 represents the frontal elevation of the outer member of the device;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inner member with a portion thereof removed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the toy in its operative form, with the inner member placed within the outer member;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the toy;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form of the inner member;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the toy as shown in Fig. 3; F Fig. 7 is a partial bottom view of modified form of Fig. 8 is a front elevation of modified form of the de vice with movable eyebrow, nose and lip areas; and

Fig. 9 is a section taken approximately along line 99 of Fig. 8.

The illustration of the outer member 10 shown in Fig. 1 is intended to represent a head and face, wherein are provided eye openings 11 with pupils 12, a nose 13 and a mouth opening 14. The eyes, nose and mouth are disposed in what may be termed the frontal or face area of the toy, and just in rear of that area there is provided an additional aperture 15, the purpose of which will be explained presently. The interior surface of outer member 10 is preferably cylindrical.

The inner member 16, which is preferably in the shape of a hollow cylinder, comprises a top portion 17 shown in the form of a hat with a brim 18. At the outer surface of inner member 16 there are provided at least two continuous or endless designs, spaced from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of member 16, and comprising an upper design 19 and a lower design 20. Upper design 19 constitutes a wavy line 21 with a shaded portion 22 above that line, while the lower design represents a heavy wavy line. Obviously the designs are subject to changes. The cylindrical portion of member 16, adapted to be manually revolved within the cylindrical interior of outer member 10, may be either of the same height as the latter (not shown), or may project beyond that member as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower projecting end of member 16 is preferably provided with deformable cars 23 which may be forced out from the cylindrical body of member 16, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, to prevent disengagement of the inner member from outer member 10.

It is preferred, however, that inner member 16 project with both its ends beyond the ends of outer member 10, so that hat brim 18 at the upper end and cars 23 at the lower end of the inner member restrict the relative axial movement of the two members within certain desired limits.

In addition to the peripheral designs applied to the outer surface of member 16 there may be added intelligence readable at the rear of the facial representation operated by a, finger inserted into the inner member for,

rotating the latter and while turning the faceportion of the outer member towards an observer. Thus the operator of the device can read the expression he produced and exhibits-at theface portion of theouter member. To facilitate the rotation of the inner memberwithin. the

outer member by means of a. finger, the. interior surface of theinner member is preferably roughened SllChi as. by axially disposed arall'el beads indicated at 241in.'Fig. 7', or in anyothensuitablemanner.

In'themodified; form, shown in. Figs. 8 .and, 9;, outer member 10 is provided aboveeye, openings 11 with eyebrow representations from which. extend rear-,

wardly pins 26.. The eyebrow representation is preferably made of pliable material, such-as rubber orianyother readily-deformable plastic, and pins 26 are preferably made of relatively harder, non-pliable or rigid material. The areas of the nose and lips indicated at 27 are also preferably made. of; pliable plastic; material, and extending from the latter there are relatively. rigid pins 28. Pins 26 and 28 form integral parts of their respective plastic material.

The inner member 16 again possesses peripheral designs, such as, design 19 consisting of a wavy line 21 and a shaded portion 22 for cooperation with the eye apertures, and a design 20, spaced from line 21, for cooperation with the. mouth opening. In addition. to these designs there are provided guide, means in the shape of endless, peripheral grooves, 29 for the; reception. and guidance of pins 26, and guide grooves 30 and 31 for pins 28.

As indicated in the embodiments shown in Figs. 3, 4, 8 and 9 brim 18 of hat 17 rests against the upper edge of outer member 10, 10' so that the inner member will be firmly supported by the outer member.

Operation In operating the toy, hat 17' may be used for rotating the inner member with one hand while the outer member is,fixedly held in the other hand. However, the inner member may be also operated in respect to the outer member by holding the latter in one hand, inserting a finger into the interior of the inner member and rotating it.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6 only the. eye and mouth expressions are changed by revolving the inner member withinthe outer member.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the animations extends further in that not only the eye and mouth expressions are changed but also the position of the eyebrows, the nose and lips are varied. As the inner memher is rotated within the outer member, pins 26 and 28 guided in grooves 29, 30 and 31, respectively, are caused to move and impart that movement to the pliable material representing the eyebrows, lips and nose. Thusthe number of different expressions impartable to the face is practically unlimited.

While in thedrawings specific forms of the present disclosure are illustrated, it is quite obvious that due to the employment of, different. materials in the making of the1toy, changes and variations may becomev necessary, especially when the toy is employed. as the head for a doll or funny character, which is contemplated. Such necessary changes andvariations are therefore. deemed to reside within the scope of the present invention as defined in the, annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1 In a toy, a. pair oftelescopingmembers, one constituting the other, the other forming the inner member,

said innermember being fully rotatable within and projecting with both its ends beyond the outer member, the latter member having at least three apertures through which the outer surface of the inner member is rendered visible; two peripheral designs provided at the outer surface of the inner member and being disposed in two spaced, substantially parallel planes, one of the designs being so located that it can be observed through two of the apertures, the other design being rendered visible through the one remaining aperture; and means forming a part of the inner member for facilitating its full rotation in respect to. the outer member, and means provided at the projecting ends of the inner member for preventing disengagement of the latter from the outer member and for limiting to a desired minimum relative axial movement of the two members.

2. In a toy, a pair of cooperating telescoping members comprising an outer member having a plurality of apertures and an inner member rotatable within thev outer member and having a continuous. outer surfac both ends of its bodyextending beyond the outer member; several sets. of spaced, designs provided at the outer surface of the inner member so that at least one set of designs, is rendered visible. through atleast two. of'the. apertures of the outer member, and, so that at least another set ofthe designscan be observed through another of the, apertures, and means provided at one end of the inner member for. facilitating its. rotation within the. outer member, and other meansprojecting from the other end of the inner member, said rotation-facilitating means and said project-. ingmeansiserving for limiting relative axial movement of the two members. and for preventing their disengagement.

3. In a toy according to claim 2, and wherein some of the areasadjacent the apertures of the outer member are made of pliable material from which extend projections directed into the interior of the outer member, and wherein some of the several designsprovided at-the outer surface of the inner member constitute guide means for said projections, the cooperation between these guide.

means and said projections being such that when the inner member is revolved in respect to the outer member, the

projections are caused to move and impart movementto the pliable material adjacent the apertures.

4. In a toy, a pair of cooperating telescoping hollow members composed of an inner and an outer member, the latter having a set of apertures comprising a pair of 'substantially symmetrical apertures and a relatively large aperture below the pair of symmetrical apertures,- and another aperture diagonally opposite said set of apertures; said inner member having an enlargement at one end adaptedto engage and operatively rest against the corresponding end of the outer member, the other end of the inner member extending beyond the corresponding other end of' the outer member, means provided at the inner surface of the inner member for faciltating its rotation in respect to the outer member; a plurality of'spaced, circumferentially arranged designs and at least one line of intelligence at the outer surface of the inner member, at least one of the designs being. observable through the symmetrical pair of apertures, another of the designs being rendered visible through said large aperture, and said intelligence being readable through said other aperture.

5. In a toy, a pair of cooperating, telescoping hollow inner and outer substantially cylindrical members rotatable inrespect to one another, the outer member having a set of coordinated apertures at one area of its peripheral surface anda single aperture diagonally opposite. said set of apertures; the inner member having at its outer surface several sets of continuous, peripheral axially spaced designs which are renderedvisible through the set of apertures, andarow of intelligence observable through said diagonally opposite aperture, said inner member extending with both its. endsbeyondthe ends of the outer member, one end of the inner member forming a flange adapted to operatively rest against one end of the outer member.

6. In a toy as in claim 5, and wherein the other end of the inner member is provided with means for preventing its disengagement from the outer member, and means at the interior surface of the inner member adapted to facilitate its rotation relative said outer member.

7. In a toy as in claim 5, and wherein the other end of the inner member is provided with means for preventing its disengagement from the outer member, and means at the interior surface of the inner member adapted to facilitate its rotation relative said outer member and wherein some portions of the areas adjacent the set of coordinated apertures are formed from pliable material, and wherein projections extend from that material into the interior of the outer member, and wherein in the outer surface of the inner member are provided guide means for said projections whereby, as the inner member is revolved, animation is imparted to said pliable material.

8. In a toy as in claim 5, and wherein the outer member represents a face of a head in which the set of coordinated apertures represent eye and mouth openings, and wherein the set of continuous designs provided at the outer surface of the inner member are adapted, when that member is rotated, to change the facial expression of the outer member.

9. In a toy as in claim 5, and wherein the outer member represents a face of a head in which the set of coordinated apertures represent eye and mouth openings, and wherein the set of continuous designs provided at the outer surface of the inner member are adapted, when that member is rotated, to change the facial expression of the outer member and wherein the eyebrow, lip and nose areas of the head are made of pliable, resilient material with relatively non-flexible projections extending into the interior of the outer member, and wherein the inner member is provided with peripheral guide grooves for said projections, said guide grooves being so arranged that they cause said projections to change their position as the inner member is rotated, thereby causing the animation of the eyebrow, lip and nose areas.

10. In an animated toy, a head representation applicable for dolls, comic or animal characters, said head representation comprising outer and inner hollow cooperating members, and wherein the inner member is rotatable within the outer member, the latter member having a face area in which are provided eye and mouth openings adapted to render observable outer surface portions of the inner member defined by these openings, the inner and outer members having means for operatively suspending the inner member within the outer member and for simultaneously facilitating full rotation and limited axial movement of the inner member relative the outer member.

11. In an animated toy according to claim 10, and wherein the outer member is provided with a rear aperture opposite its face area, and wherein the inner member has at its outer surface a plurality of continuous axially spaced designs and a row of intelligence, the designs being observable through the openings of the face area, the intelligence being readable through said rear aperture.

12. In an animated toy according to claim 10, and wherein the outer member is provided with a rear aperture opposite its face area, and wherein the inner member has at its outer surface a plurality of continuous axially spaced designs and a row of intelligence, the designs being observable through the openings of the face area, the intelligence being readable through said rear aperture, and wherein the areas above the eye openings and adjacent the mouth opening are formed from pliable material from which extend into the interior of the outer member relatively rigid projections integral with said pliable material, and wherein said inner member is provided with guide grooves for said projections adapted to impart movement to the latter, and thus to the pliable material, as the inner member is rotated relative the outer member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 698,324 Sanger Apr. 22, 1902 1,496,406 Bertsch June 3, 1924 1,650,996 McDonnell Nov. 29, 1927 

